Posts
I am a songwriter and love creating and writing new song lyrics. Here I will share my interest in songwriting and explore and study lyrics from songwriters who have greatly influenced me.
-
May 13, 2026 This is the outside of legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee–the place where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, and others recorded back in the ’50s. This was Sam Phillips’ first sign: “Memphis Recording Service.” He had a slogan: “Anything-Anywhere-Anytime.” He recoded weddings, bar mitzvahs, speeches,…
-
On May 13, 2026, I had the opportunity to visit Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Wow! The tour there was fantastic! As the tour guide took us around and talked about Sam Phillips and his dream, my mind was going crazy! Standing in those rooms with all the vintage gear that was used to record…
-
I’ve written over 470 songs so far. It all started in 2014. My wife, Denise, died unexpectedly and suddenly. One night I was sitting alone and some words came to me, almost from out of nowhere. These words were the genesis of a song and the kernel that blossomed into over 470 songs now. Almost…
-
Writing lyrics for a song is only half the battle. Lyrics are important and I do enjoy writing lyrics. But lyrics without melody and chord progressions are not a song. Recently, my creative juices have been overflowing, which is why it has been some time since I last wrote one of these blog posts. When…
-
Inspiration can strike at any time. It really can. I suppose this is true for any writer or creative soul. Inspiration is elusive but you know it when it strikes. Just the other night, I was at work but a down time happened. I work on the railroad as a freight train conductor. There are…
-
I have recorded 17 songs in my home studio so far and today I just updated my “Catalog of Songs” to include all the new ones that weren’t there before. Previously, I had five songs listed. My Catalog of Songs is the page where you can listen to my songs. They appear in no particular…
-
Today I created a new page on my Songwriting website: The Soundtracks Behind My Songs. I have always enjoyed music, playing it in my room when I was kid, listening to it on the radio in my truck as I got older, and now I play music all the time through my Bose headphones, on…
-
Descriptive writing in song lyrics is an art that I enjoy seeing and trying to practice in my own songwriting. Descriptive writing doesn’t just tell the listener what happened, it shows what happened with specific details. I could for example, say “the sun was setting.” Or, I could be a bit more descriptive by saying,…
-
Many songs include rhyming schemes in their verses and choruses. Here is on example by Bob Dylan “Man on the Street”I’ll sing you a song, ain’t very long,‘Bout an old man who never done wrong.How he died nobody can say,They found him dead in the street one day.by Bob Dylan Dylan’s first two lines rhyme…
-
I love looking closely and digging into one of my favorite songs by an artist I enjoy. For example, John Denver’s song, “Back Home Again” is a great song that I really like. Through his lyrics, John paints a picture that is so vivid and memorable. Each line contributes to this total scene and builds…
-
Where do the ideas come from? How does a song begin? When is it born? Songwriting can be very different for each songwriter. There are no secret rules or approaches the guarantee a song will be written. I collect song ideas and hooks all the time. My method for doing this is simple. I use…
-
Welcome to Bob Shank Country! I am a songwriter with a deep interest in words, lyrics, chord progressions, and melodies. Music has a way of speaking to us in ways that nothing else can even come close to comparing! I listen to music all the time. Some of my favorite artists are George Strait, John…